KINGSTON, N.Y. -- Two members of the New York National Guard's 1156th Engineer Company lowered a flag to half-staff on Friday at their base, the armory on Kiersted Avenue in Kingston, in memory of a comrade killed by New York City police gunfire the day before.

Spc. Noel Polanco, 22, a Queens resident, joined the 1156th four years ago and was getting ready to go on active duty, said Spc. Tyrone DeSheers, who knew Polanco well.

But early Thursday, Polanco was shot an killed by New York city police after they pulled him over on a highway near LaGuardia Airport in Queens for driving erratically. Police said Polanco was weaving in and out of traffic and resisted the officers' attempts to stop him.

Polanco was not armed, but after police pulled him over, a uniformed officer fired one bullet through the passenger side of Polanco's black 2012 Honda and struck Polanco.

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Polanco was pronounced dead about a half-hour later at a hospital.

What prompted the fatal shooting wasn't immediately clear, and NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said a search of Polanco's vehicle did not turn up any weapons.